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Broccoli raab, is a typical Italian vegetable, extensively cultivated in Southern Italy. The edible portion is represented by the central inflorescence and has a very appreciated light-bitter taste. A greater increase in consumption could come from a ready-to-use product, however they are very perishable, and technologies aimed to prolong product shelf-life are necessary. In this work active and passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were investigated in order to achieve and maintain the optimal atmosphere composition during cold storage: 1) polypropylene/polyamide microperforated bags (PPPA MF) (22×32 cm), with initial gas composition of 2% O2/ 98% N2; 2) polypropylene bags (PP) (22×32 cm), with initial gas composition of 4% O2/96% N2; 3) passive MA in shrink-wrap packaging (pMAP); 4) air (CTRL) within macro perforated bags. Fresh cut broccoli raab consisting of compact florets with stems ~10-cm long, including tender leaves, were stored as described up to 12 days at 5±1°C. PPPA MF and PP accumulated after 12 days of storage approximately 10% of CO2, reaching instead different O2 percentage: 1 and 10% for PP and PPPA MF, respectively. The final atmosphere composition led to a difference in the sensorial evaluations, with PP showing the higher off odor score and PPPA MF intermediate value if compared to control sample. PPPA MF stored broccoli raab obtained the best visual quality score and no significant differences were found between treatments regarding chemical and physical parameters (DHA, vitamin C, TPC, AC and firmness). The three tested materials allowed to reduce weight losses compared to air storage. PPPA MF showed the best performance in maintaining quality losses during storage of fresh cut broccoli raab, but a shelf life shorter than 12 days should be considered in order to minimize off odor development.

This research was conducted in Southern Italy over two growing seasons to evaluate the effect of strobilurin application on the ethylene production of flowers (EF) and on the yield and quality parameters of processing tomato grown under moderate water deficit conditions. The following two irrigation regimes were applied: IR100, full irrigation that restores 100% of the maximum crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and IR75, which is 75% of the amount of water of IR100. Furthermore, from the beginning of flowering two fungicide treatments were applied three times: fungicide treatment without strobilurin (ST0) and strobilurin fungicide with an azoxystrobin based product (STaz). At full flowering, ethylene production in the flowers (EF) was determined. At harvest, the main yield and qualitative parameters were evaluated. The strobilurin treatment caused a significant decrease of EF, which was less evident in the first warmer year than in the second. This result was presumably because of the interference of high temperatures on the inhibition of ethylene synthesis described for the strobilurin. In contrast, the decrease of EF due to strobilurin treatment was more evident under IR75 than under IR100. Finally, the decrease in the number of marketable fruits with respect to the EF increase was lower under strobilurin treatment presumably because of the protective effect of this molecule on the flower drop. Further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis in greater detail.

Botrytis cinerea, responsible for grey mold, represents the first biological cause of fruit and vegetable spoilage phenomena in post-harvest. Kiwifruit is a climacteric fruit particularly prone to this mold infestation during storage. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are food-grade bacteria that can synthesize several metabolites with antimicrobial activity and are, therefore, suggested as promising and eco-friendly resources for the bio-control of molds on fruits and vegetables. In this work, we propose the screening of a collection of 300 LAB previously isolated from traditional sourdoughs for their ability to counteract in vitro the growth of Botrytis cinerea CECT 20973. Only 2% of tested LAB strains belonging to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum species, exerted a strong antagonism against B. cinerea. The cell-free supernatants were partially characterized and results clearly indicated that high levels of lactic acid contributed to the antagonistic activity. PAN01 and UFG 121 cell-free supernatants were investigated as potential bio-control agents in a preliminary in vivo assay using freshly cut kiwifruits as a food model. The application of cell-free supernatants allowed to delay the growth of B. cinerea on artificially contaminated kiwifruits until two weeks. The antagonistic activity was greatly affected by the storage temperature (25 °C and 4 °C) selected for the processed fruits, suggesting the importance to include microbial-based solution in a broader framework of hurdle technologies.

The aim of the study was to compare the quality of table grapes (cv. Italia) held on the vine compared to grapes stored in cold rooms with or without modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP). The grapes were harvested from 12 plants in 2 vineyards in the same area, differing for the age of the plant. Four- and a fourteen-year-old vines were cultivated with the “Apulia tendone” system. After the first harvest, grapes were divided into small clusters and used for storage treatments in air and in MAP. Samples of 400 g were packaged in polypropylene (PP) trays sealed with a polypropylene/polyamide (PP/PA) film with 20% CO2 in air. MAP and control samples were then stored in the same cold room at 0 °C. Initially and after 8, 21, and 28 days, grapes stored in air and MAP were compared to fresh harvested grapes, stored on the plants. Quality attributes included color, texture, maturity index, phenols, antioxidant activity, sugars, organic acids, sensory parameters, and volatile compounds. The results obtained demonstrated that grapes held on the plant and in MAP showed better quality in terms of appearance scores compared to grapes stored in air. In particular, the application of high CO2 contributed to reduce the deterioration rate of the clusters, minimizing weight loss, and delaying degradation processes, and this particularly for grapes from the 14-year-old vine, where grapes held on the plant degraded faster than grapes in the younger vines. Most volatile compounds did not change their concentration with the storage treatment, except for ethyl acetate and ethanol, which increased in MAP at the end of storage, and to some compound responsible for green odor. In conclusion, keeping the grapes on the plant can be considered a good agronomic practice to preserve the quality, whereas MAP can be applied to better maintain postharvest quality of the product throughout storage and distribution.

Fruit and vegetables contain a wide range of bioactive compounds or their precursors that provide health benefits such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular and chronic diseases. Fruit and vegetables can maintain their quality and extend the shelf life under storage at optimum temperature and relative humidity and adequate gas atmosphere composition (controlled atmosphere/modified atmosphere, CA/MA). The effect of CA/MA on bioactive compounds has not been extensively studied. The results vary among fruit species and cultivars, but the trend is for reduced O2 and/or elevated CO2 levels to enhance the retention of bioactive compounds. The reduction of temperature and of O2 concentration has been described as the two main factors contributing to preserve vitamin C. For carotenoids, the effect of CA/MA has not been well studied but, in general, it enhances the retention of carotenoids but also reduces their biosynthesis. Also phenolic biosynthesis may be negatively affected by high CO2 concentration, particularly anthocyanins in some fruits such as strawberries.

This research focused on the effect of organic production systems on initial quality and postharvest performance of lamb's lettuce leaves stored in air or under modified atmosphere at refrigerated temperature. Different strategies of organic soil fertility management were compared under the same environmental conditions: (i) a simplified organic production system based on organic commercial fertilizers to recover crop uptake (SB); (ii) an organic production system based on organic matter amendment mainly supplied by animal manure (AM); and (iii) an organic production system based on organic matter amendment supplied by green waste compost (AC). Fully developed lamb's lettuce leaves were harvested and then packed into perforated bags (control in AIR) or in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and stored at 4 °C.; Results: At harvest, the yield of lamb's lettuce in the AM and AC systems was higher than that in SB. Phenol and dehydroascorbic acid accumulation was observed in the system with the lowest initial supply of organic amendment (SB). Regarding the effect of packaging, AIR conditions maintained the initial quality attributes for a longer period than MAP, which developed off-odours above the threshold of acceptability at 11 days, irrespective of the production system used.; Conclusion: In general, the initial differences among the production systems were minimal during the postharvest storage. As for the tested packaging systems, AIR successfully maintained the initial quality attributes for a longer period than the MAP. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fresh-cut fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. vulgare var. azoricum cv. Orion) is a very perishable crop due to the browning that affects the cut-surface, especially on the stem portion of the slices. The occurrence of browning is the main cause of quality loss and decrease of visual acceptance of this product. In the present work the effectiveness of different anti-browning solutions (0.5% ethanol, 1% L-ascorbic acid, 0.5% L-cysteine at pH 7, 1% citric acid and 0.5% 4-hexylresorcinol) on maintaining quality characteristics of fresh-cut fennel during 6 days at 5 °C in air conditions were investigated. Results showed that dipping in solutions of citric acid, ascorbic acid, cysteine and 4-hexylresorcinol, did not result in substantial improvement of the appearance of fresh-cut fennels cut-surfaces compared to water control. Among all applied anti-browning solutions, dipping in 1% citric acid and 0.5% 4-hexylresorcinol produced a more severe browning than control, in both stem and sheath cut-surfaces. Dipping for 2 min in 0.5% ethanol was effective in preserving visual quality of fresh-cut fennel stored in air for six days at 5 °C, significantly reducing the browning in both stem and sheath cut-surface. In addition ethanol is a ‘generally recognized as a safe’ (GRAS) product and did not negatively influence the aroma of fresh-cut fennel. Based on these considerations, dipping in 0.5% ethanol for 2 min could be a useful pretreatment for extending the shelf-life of fresh-cut fennel.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of temperature abuse and improper packaging on volatiles profile, vitamin C and sensorial attributes of rocket leaves packaged in modified atmosphere. Leaves packed in suboptimal conditions (high ratio of product weight/bag surface) were stored for 10 days at 0 and 5 °C, and for 8 days at 15 °C. Rocket leaves were kept in macroperforated bags in order to prevent modification of atmosphere within the headspace (as control). The packed rockets at 0 °C retained ascorbic acid content while it decreased during storage at higher temperatures. The main losses in the appearance and vitamin C content were observed when the O 2 level reached about 0 kPa corresponding to the highest CO 2 accumulation in the bag (25 kPa). The off-odors from dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfides (DMDS) and other volatiles were produced at 5° and 15 °C, changing the initial headspace fingerprint, which was best preserved at 0 °C. Results of this work showed that improper packaging condition may decrease the shelf-life of rocket leaves compared to storage in air, inducing loss of appearance score, the production of off-odors and the degradation of Vitamin C. No additional benefit was obtained by optimal gas composition when bags were stored at 0 °C, indicating that the use of low temperature was effective to slowing down degradation reactions.

The aim of this study was the quality characterization and the evaluation of the storage potential of “Real” and ‘Regalona Baer’ quinoa sprouts. Sprouting characteristics, texture, sensorial and chemical proprieties were evaluated on sprouts after 4 days of imbibitions and during storage in a passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). ‘Regalona Baer’ showed higher germination and weight increase, higher phenolic content and sensorial properties than ‘Real’. ‘Real’ sprouts also showed the shortest shelf life, whereas ‘Regalona Baer’ sprouts were still marketable after 7 days. A separate experiment was performed to study the effects of passive and active MAP with 5% O₂ + 20% CO₂ on the ‘Regalona Baer’ variety. Sprouts stored in active MAP showed a better texture and a minor production of off-flavor, compared to samples stored in passive MAP, thus showing for the first time that active packaging with 5% O₂ + 20% CO₂ may be a potential solution for allowing the distribution of this product.

The potential of hyperspectral imaging for the prediction of the internal composition of goji berries was investigated. The prediction performances of models obtained in the Visible-Near Infrared (VIS-NIR) (400–1000 nm) and in the Near Infrared (NIR) (900–1700 nm) regions were compared. Analyzed constituents included Vitamin C, total antioxidant, phenols, anthocyanin, soluble solids content (SSC), and total acidity (TA). For vitamin C and AA, partial least square regression (PLSR) combined with different data pretreatments and wavelength selection resulted in a satisfactory prediction in the NIR region obtaining the R2pred value of 0.91. As for phenols, SSC, and TA, a better performance was obtained in the VIS-NIR region yielding the R2pred values of 0.62, 0.94, and 0.84, respectively. However, the prediction of total antioxidant and anthocyanin content did not give satisfactory results. Conclusively, hyperspectral imaging can be a useful tool for the prediction of the main constituents of the goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.).

Natural antimicrobials (nisin, lactoferrin, thymol and citrus extract) were studied as sustainable alternatives to conventionally used NaOCl in fresh-cut (FC) fennel. Enterobacteriaceae was the most sensitive microbial group to studied sanitizers according to δ values, while psychrophiles were the most resistant. Based on inactivation modelling and sensory scores, nisin (N-250; 0.250 g L−1), lactoferrin (L-50; 50 g L−1), together with hydrolysed L-50 (LFH), were selected and studied comparing to water-washed (CTRL) and NaOCl (150 mg NaOCl L−1) on FC fennel. LFH achieved the highest psychrophilic reduction of 2.5 log units. Although NaOCl achieved the highest mesophilic, Enterobacteriaceae, lactobacilli and yeasts and moulds reductions of 1.7, 1.0

The effects of carvacrol-loaded chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (Np-EO) on the physicochemical, sensory and microbial quality of fresh-cut (FC) carrot slices stored up to 13 days at 5 °C were studied. Np-EO was compared to samples treated by NaOCl (100 mg L − 1 ), Np (chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles without carvacrol) or individual chitosan (0.5%) and carvacrol (0.5%) solutions. Np-EO achieved the best sensory scores also avoiding carvacrol-related off-flavours found with the carvacrol solution. Furthermore, whitening of FC carrot slices was highly reduced in Np-EO samples. Np-EO reduced microbial levels in FC carrot slices by 0.6–3.0 log units on processing day compared to untreated (control) samples. Np-EO allowed to reduce the microbial growth in FC carrot slices during the first 9 days of storage similarly to carvacrol solution. Furthermore, Np-EO highly controlled microbial loads at the end of storage showing 2.3 (lactic acid bacteria), 6.1 (yeasts and moulds) and 5.1–5.4 (mesophiles, psychrophiles and Enterobacteriaceae ) lower log CFU g − 1 units compared to control samples. Conclusively, Np-EO highly maintained microbial (2–6 lower log CFU g − 1 units compared to control), sensory (up to 2.5 better scores than control) and physicochemical quality of FC carrot slices than control for 13 days at 5 °C. Industrial relevance Natural essential oils industrially extracted from plants are potential alternative substances with high antimicrobial properties when tested in vitro . However, their microbicidal efficacy is greatly reduced due to their low solubility in washing solutions of fresh-cut products. Accordingly, chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoencapsulation of essential oils such as carvacrol is a great opportunity to increase the antimicrobial properties of carvacrol to be used in fresh-cut fruit and vegetables alternatively to conventional NaOCl sanitation.

The effect of storage conditions on flavor-related volatile composition of wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) was investigated on Modified Atmosphere packed (MAP) leaves stored under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. In a first experiment the effect of MAP was compared to the storage in air at 5 °C; a second experiment aimed to study the effect of non isothermal conditions, with two temperature abuses (at 13 °C for 24 h) during a 5 °C. Twenty-four volatiles were detected, including C6, C5, isothiocyanate, lipid-derived and sulfur compounds. In the first experiment, MAP-stored rocket showed a slower loss of typical flavour volatiles (thiocyanates and isothiocyanates) and a slower production of off-flavors until 6 days of storage, compared to leaves stored in air. After this time, dimethyl sulfide and acetaldehyde dramatically increased in MAP-stored rocket samples. In the second experiment, samples stored under non-isothermal conditions showed lower O2 and higher CO2 concentrations than samples stored under isothermal conditions. Rocket leaves stored under non-isothermal conditions showed an increased production of volatiles responsible of off-flavors (acetaldehyde and dimethyl sulfide) following temperature abuse comparing to storage in isothermal condition. Thus, dimethyl sulfide and acetaldehyde could be effective markers for tracking the effect of temperature fluctuations on rocket during storage.

The suitability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was assessed for predicting the initial internal quality of strawberries, and for discriminating between different classes of fruits produced by three different fertility management systems: conventional (C), organic based on input substitution (S), and organic based on manure and cover crop amendment (M). Reflectance spectra were acquired using a Fourier Transform (FT)-NIR spectrometer for 219 ‘Festival’ strawberries (93 M, 96 S, and 30 C). Relevant wavelength ranges were identified by Bruker’s OPUS software and elaborated in MATLAB. The partial least squares (PLS) SIMPLS algorithm was tested in prediction models for total soluble solids content (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content, and phenolic content, while PLS-DA (DA = discriminant analysis) was used in the classification models. The intact strawberry spectra resulted in good predictions of TSS content (R 2 = 0.85; RMSEP = 0.58), pH (R 2 = 0.86; RMSEP = 0.09), and TA (R 2 = 0.58; RMSEP = 0.15). For the classification models, both sensitivity and specificity were >0.97 for external sample classes. In addition to being a valid approach for the selection of superior quality strawberries, the presented NIR methodology is expected to be a promising support for the traceability and authentication of organic produce.

The objective of this study was to use hyperspectral imaging to predict the internal concentration of soluble solids (SSC), individual sugars and organic acids, phenols, and antioxidant activity of fennel heads in relation to different sheath layers and harvest times. Thirty-five fennel heads were collected during 7 different harvest times over a period of 3 weeks. For each fennel VisNIR (400–1000 nm) and NIR (900–1700 nm) images of the perpendicular section were acquired. From the external to the internal part of the fennel chemical analysis of each leaf was done summing up to 160 samples. Similarly, for hyperspectral images three regions of interest (ROI) were extracted and averaged for each corresponding leaf. A calibration set of 105 samples and a validation set of 31 samples was used to develop the PLSR models, after removing 20 samples without correct reference values and 4 outlier spectra. Among the predicted parameters only SSC, DPPH and phenols could be predicted with satisfactory accuracy. Particularly, for SSC, mean centering gave an R2 of 0.87, 0.81, 0.77 for calibration, cross validation, and prediction, respectively (RMSEP of 0.515 over a range of values from 4 to 9%). First derivative combined with SNV applied for DPPH gave the same accuracy with R2 of 0.81, 0.76, 0.78 (RMSEP of 2.460 over a range of 20–250 mg kg−1). The best preprocessing technique for phenols was MSC (mean) yielding RMSEP of 3.042 (over a range from 50 to 350 mg kg−1). In addition it was possible to map the constituent concentrations on the hyperspectral images showing the increase of soluble solids, phenolics and antioxidant activity from the external to the internal leaves. As for classification of fennels according to harvest time using PLS-DA, all the classes were distinguished with a non-error rate of 89.29% in calibration 75.71% in cross validation and 88.57% in prediction. Except for some samples of class 5 in calibration and 2, 4 and 5 in case of cross validation, all others were nearly correctly classified. In conclusion results of this work showed the potentiality of hyperspectral imaging in the Vis-NIR spectral range to predict internal constituents and to classify fennel heads according to the harvest time.

In Europe, the lack of specific rules regulating organic vegetable production in protected conditions has led to the implementation of extremely diversified systems of production, at different level of intensification. In this study, we compared three strawberry organic production systems based on the following main criteria of soil fertility management: input substitution (SB), a simplified system of organic production that mimics conventional agricultural practices and two systems characterized by a more complex soil fertility management, based on the introduction, in the rotation of agroecological service crops (ASCs) and compost (AC), and of ASCs and cattle manure (AM). Strawberry yields, in the compared systems, were not significantly different in both years of our research, while, as a whole, the yield in 2013 (30.3 Mg ha−1) was significantly higher than in 2014 (28.9 Mg ha−1). Crop nitrogen (N) needs, during the entire cycle of production, were satisfied according to the same pattern by SB, AC and AM, while green manuring and organic amendments in AM and AC determined a higher soil organic N content, compared with SB. As far as the production quality is concerned, both AM and AC treatments yielded strawberry fruits similar to SB, but with better characteristics in terms of color and phenolic content. AM and AC did not differentiate statistically in the two year period of our research.

Minimally processed fruits are an ideal alternative to dairy products to deliver probiotic microorganisms. At the same time, several innovative employments of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been proposed in the food industry, including bio-fortification with nutritional compounds and bio-protection against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. In this study, probiotic riboflavin over-producing Lactobacillus plantarum B2 and Lactobacillus fermentum PBCC11.5 were inoculated on fresh-cut cantaloupe by immersion in a dipping solution. The viability of probiotic microorganisms and the main physico-chemical parameters of melon pieces, including the riboflavin content, were monitored for 11 days of storage under refrigerated conditions. Finally, both probiotics were tested for their antagonistic effect against different concentrations of an isolate of Listeria monocytogenes from fruit origin. Overall, high viability of both probiotics species was found at the end of the shelf life. The main technological and nutritional parameters of the fruits were unaffected by probiotic-enrichment, except some sensorial attributes when melons were inoculated with L. plantarum B2. The riboflavin content increased about two-fold in probiotic cantaloupe. Moreover, L. plantarum B2 and L. fermentum PBCC11.5 showed a good ability to reduce the level of L. monocytogenes on artificially contaminated melons. In conclusion, the results of this work encourage further implementation of new foods with multifunctional properties.

Demand for natural and fresh fruit juice with high quality in terms of nutritional value, physiochemical and sensory characteristics compared to pasteurized products has considerably increased. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal blending conditions to obtain high quality minimally processed melon puree. A Central Composite Design was developed, and ten temperature/time combinations, ranging from 0 to 21°C, and from 5 to 140 s were tested. Fresh purees from 4 melon types (‘Cantaloupe’, ‘Galia’, ‘Amarillo’, and ‘Piel de Sapo’) stored at 5°C for 6 days were compared. For all genotypes, physical (color, consistency), chemical (vitamin C, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids) and sensorial attributes (browning, smoothness, odor, freshness, sweetness and acidity) were monitored before processing, and at the end of cold storage. Time of blending influenced puree smoothness; fruits blended for about 80 s reached their optimal homogeneity. For ‘Cantaloupe’ and ‘Piel de Sapo’ puree, time of blending significantly impacted on vitamin C (higher reduction for blending longer than 60 s). Moreover in ‘Cantaloupe’ puree the increase of process temperature reduced the total phenolic content indicating a possible oxidation. ‘Amarillo’ melon puree was the most sensitive to color changes; time of treatment significantly affected a*, b*, and Chroma attributes, inducing a high proportion of browning during storage. On the other hand, processing conditions did not affect the quality parameters of ‘Galia’ puree with the exception of L* value which decreased with the increase of the time of processing. Although quality attributes limiting melon puree’s shelf-life depended more on the melon type, blending time was the most critical factor affecting nutritional and sensorial losses. A general recommendation for all melon types is to blend melons at low temperatures for not longer than 80 s.

BACKGROUND The effect of microwave treatments (900 and 750 W for 45 and 60 s) on the microbial, physicochemical and sensory properties of fresh-cut carrot slices and the contents of several bioactive compounds was studied. Carrot samples were stored for 7 days at 5 °C. RESULTS The microwaving of fresh-cut carrots reduced the initial respiration rate (8.6 CO2 mL kg−1 h−1) by 55–74% compared with untreated samples, although the rates then increased during storage. The initial pH (6.7), titratable acidity (0.036%), soluble solid content (8.2 °Brix) and shelf-life of the samples did not differ greatly from those of the untreated samples. Microwaving prevented the incipient whitening and surface dryness during storage. In general, no significant changes in phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity (5.5 µmol t-cinnamic acid kg−1 h−1), total phenolics (TP, 81.3 mg chlorogenic acid equivalent kg−1 fresh weight (FW)) or total antioxidant capacity (TAC, 74.2 µmol Trolox equivalent kg−1 FW) were observed on the processing day or over storage. However, the mildest treatment (750 W for 45 s) caused TP and TAC enhancements of 118 and 394% respectively after 7 days of shelf-life. Microwave treatments reduced the initial microbial loads of the samples by up to 1.8 log units, although their microbial growth was greater than that of the untreated samples throughout storage. CONCLUSION Mild microwave treatments such as 750 W/45 s and 750 W/60 s are a good sustainable alternative to the use of NaOCl; however, combining them with other sanitizing techniques is needed to control microbial growth throughout the shelf-life of fresh-cut carrot slices. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

BACKGROUND Postponing the harvest of grapes is a common practice in southern Italy, in order to delay harvest up to Christmas and make higher income from their sale. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of harvest time (over almost 3 months) on the quality of table grapes (cv. Italia). The experiment was repeated for two years (2010 and 2011). In 2010, grapes were harvested starting from 8 October and after 11, 27 and 48 days. In 2011, five harvest times were compared over a period of 56 days. Respiration rate, firmness, colour, sensory attributes, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), phenols and antioxidant activity were measured. In addition, in the second year, volatile compounds were evaluated. RESULTS For both years, harvest time influenced most parameters, which indicated that metabolic changes took place in the plants. In 2010, harvest time influenced respiration rate, cluster and berry appearance scores, colour attributes, crunchiness, pH, TA, total phenol content and antioxidant activity. In 2011, harvest time influenced respiration rate, colour attributes, most sensory attributes, TSS and TA. Generally, late harvested grapes showed higher firmness, berry appearance score, sweetness, fruity taste, overall sensory evaluation score and TSS. Regarding volatile compounds, terpene content decreased during ripening, while C6 compounds showed a nonlinear trend. CONCLUSION The results showed that table grape sensory quality could be increased by delaying harvest up to a certain time of the season, while excessive delay could reduce final grape quality. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

Antioxidant capacity (AC) of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd. cv. Real) seeds and sprouts obtained after 4 days of seed germination at 20°C and 70% humidity was evaluated using trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, able to highlight reducing activity and peroxyl radical scavenging capacity, respectively; phenolic content (PC) was also measured. Both TEAC and ORAC assays revealed a significantly higher (about 2- and 2.8-fold, respectively) AC of 4-day-old sprouts compared to seeds; consistently, also PC values of sprouts resulted about 2.6 times higher than seeds. In order to investigate the influence of storage on AC and PC, as well as on vitamin C content (VCC), 4-day-old sprouts were subjected for 7 days at 5°C to three different conditions of controlled atmosphere storage (CAS) compared with air. Interestingly, whatever the CAS conditions, storage of quinoa sprouts up to 7 days induced an increase of AC evaluated in terms of reducing activity by TEAC assay. Consistently, an increase of PC and VCC was measured during storage, positively correlated to TEAC values. Moreover, a decrease of peroxyl radical scavenging activity, measured by ORAC, was observed after 7 days of storage, in accordance with a shift of AC towards the reducing activity component. Overall, these findings indicate that sprouting approach using quinoa may provide highly antioxidant-enriched seedlings that may improve nutritional quality of diet or of functional foods. Interestingly, antioxidant properties of quinoa sprouts may be deeply influenced by storage, able to increase reducing activity by increasing phenols and vitamin C.

The changes in the phenolic content of fresh-cut produce during storage are often characterized by an initial growth caused by several abiotic stresses that promote the increase of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, which is the first step in phenylpropanoid metabolism. A kinetic model based on a mechanism involving two consecutive reactions was developed to describe the changes in the phenolic content of fresh-cut produce during storage. Experimental data for purslane stored at 0 and 5 °C, apples and broccoli stored at 5 °C, as well as literature data for ‘Lisbon’ lemon and ‘Palazzelli’ mandarin samples were used to validate the model, which is consistent with the phenol changes under all of the studied conditions. By estimating model parameters, individually or as group, the storage temperature did not affect the de novo synthesis of phenols but did affect the oxidative degradation for purslane samples. For apples and broccoli samples, biological variability was very important and affected the initial phenolic content and synthesis. Moreover the model also explained the phenolic variation on mandarin segments and on cut lemons. The type of cut for lemon samples had a significant effect on the rate of synthesis of phenols, with an increase of 1.8-fold being observed for the ½ slice compared to the slices. The model may be a useful tool for obtaining a better understanding of the effects of processing and storage conditions on the changes in the phenolic content and improving the shelf life prediction of fresh-cut produce.

The effect of pre-processing storage time and temperature on post-cutting quality of two artichoke cultivars (‘Catanese’ and ‘Violetto Foggiano’) was studied. Artichoke heads were harvested in January 2010 for ‘Catanese’ and in March 2011 for ‘Violetto Foggiano’ from commercial plantations. Freshly harvested artichoke heads were stored at 0, 5, and 12 °C in a humidified flow of air. Initially, and after 3 and 7 days of storage, respiration rate, weight loss, and electrolytic leakage were monitored. Moreover, at each sampling, artichokes were cut in quarters and stored for additional 3 days at 5 °C. On cut artichokes, soon after cutting and after post-cutting storage, visual appearance, color attributes (on outer bract surface, on cut bracts, and on cut receptacle surface) and phenol content were determined. Time and temperature of storage influenced quality attributes of cut artichokes, but to a different extent depending on the cultivar, whereas temperature did not affect the phenol content. ‘Violetto Foggiano’ artichokes benefited from pre-cutting low storage temperature (0 °C), whereas ‘Catanese’ showed physiological injuries on outer bract surfaces, where brown spots occurred. In both cases low temperatures during pre-cutting storage (5 and 0 °C) reduced the browning rate of the cut surface which maintained a higher L* value, compared to artichokes stored at 12 °C. Moreover, pre-cutting storage at 12 °C resulted in a reduction of quality of artichokes due to growth of floral primordia in the form of reddish tissues at the base of the receptacle for both cultivars. Management of storage conditions before cutting is therefore critical in fresh-cut processing operations of artichokes.

The aim of this research was to identify, quantify and compare the main quality parameters and functional compounds of ‘Parthenon’ broccoli florets stored at two different conditions. The first condition consisted in a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) using microperforated polypropylene plastic. Then, the second one was in an unpackaged storage (Control). The main quality parameters assessed in this research were the overall appearance, odour, weight loss and colour. While, the functional compounds evaluated in this study were the chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, vitamin C, total phenol content and intact glucosinolates, as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity. The results indicated that the loss of quality was lower in MAP than in Control samples when comparing with Fresh sample. In addition, the weight loss in MAP samples was 0.75% while in the Control samples was 3.36% at the end of storage. Besides, the losses of external attributes were also more pronounced in Control than in the MAP samples. Moreover, this degradation tendency was also observed for bioactive compounds, where their retention in the MAP was higher than in Control samples. In fact, the loss of total phenol content and intact glucosinolates content in MAP samples was about 20 and 23%, respectively, while in Control samples was about 48% and 57% correspondingly. This was also observed in the antioxidant activity (AA) values, since AA is correlated with these functional compounds.

Fresh-cut artichokes were treated with cysteine in the form of aqueous solutions of l -cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate at 0.5% (w/v) normal pH 2.2 adjusted to different pH values with NaOH (from 2 to 7). General appearance and colour measurements during storage at 5 °C showed different degrees of suppression of darkening on cut surfaces. Cysteine pre-treatments caused an increase in the yellow index ( b * value) of fresh-cut artichokes compared to untreated samples, which was more pronounced at lower pH (47.9 versus the initial value of 28.3 after 1 day). Artichokes treated at lower pH values also had a lower appearance score and higher PPO activity than artichokes treated at higher values, closer to neutrality. Starting from 3 days of storage a negative correlation between solution pH and PPO activity was also observed, that for artichokes treated with cysteine at pH 7 was lower than for control samples. l -cysteine pre-treatments did not affect total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of fresh-cut artichokes, which showed an increasing pattern after 8 days. These data may represent an important step in prevention of browning in fresh-cut artichokes.

28 p.-5 fig, Fermented oat-based foods offer attractive prospects within the market of non-dairy functional products, since they are suitable substrates for the delivery of probiotic microorganisms, and are significant sources of dietary fiber, both insoluble and soluble such as β-glucan, good quality fat and other phytochemicals important for human health., In the present work, whole oat flour was fermented with probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strains to produce new functional foods with improved nutritional and technological features. Viability of the probiotic and the main technological, physico-chemical, nutritional and sensorial parameters were monitored at 7, 14 and 21 days of cold storage. The microbial survival was higher than 5x108 cfu g−1 at the end of the shelf life. After the fermentation step, viscosity was higher in products inoculated with the exopolysaccharide-producing L. plantarum strain Lp90. However, a subsequent viscosity reduction was detected in all the samples throughout the storage period, consistent with the observed concentration decrease of the oat β-glucan. Vitamin B2 content was about two-fold higher in products fermented by the riboflavin-overproducing LpB2, and in these samples the riboflavin concentration further increased during cold storage., P.L., G.S. and M.T. are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness grant AGL2012-40084-C03.

Fresh-cut processing can add convenience to artichoke consumption, although post-cutting browning is still a major problem. Different compounds (ascorbic acid, citric acid, cysteine, and their combination, ethanol, sodium chloride, 4-hexylresorcinol) were tested at different concentrations in two experiments. An algorithm for rapid colour measurements by means of image analysis was implemented, and allowed measurement of L*, a*, and b* values from the whole quarter surface and from the browned areas, while the external appearance of artichoke quarters was evaluated using an anchored subjective scale. Cysteine (0.5%) was the most effective treatment to prevent browning as evaluated by colour attributes and appearance score. Its effectiveness was improved by increasing the pH of the solution from the natural pH (2.1) to pH 3, resulting in L* values of browned areas about 30% higher than controls (27.4 and 21.5 respectively). The mean values of appearance scores for cysteine treated samples were all above the limit of marketability (score 3), significantly higher than in control samples which had mean values below this limit. All colour parameters were significantly correlated with appearance scores, and L* of the whole quarter surface had the highest correlation. The results represent a step forward in research on anti-browning treatments for fresh-cut artichokes, also providing an objective tool for colour evaluation.

The study of the suitability of potato cultivars to be processed as fresh-cut is the first step to obtain a fresh-cut product of high quality. In this study, 4 different early potato cultivars (‘Ariana’, ‘Liseta’, ‘Safrane’ and ‘Spunta’) were cut and stored for 8 days at 5°C and for 6 days at 20°C with the aim to investigate their browning potential and their post-cutting performance on the basis of their initial quality attributes such as color, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, total phenolics, ascorbic acid contents, sugar composition and antioxidant activity (AOX). In addition, color changes and general appearance were monitored during storage, and a study of the correlations among monitored parameters was carried out. Results showed that ‘Safrane’ had the least color changes and browning incidence. At 5°C, ‘Safrane’ showed only about 1% variation in L*, statistically lower than ‘Spunta’ (3.6%) and ‘Ariana’ (5.1%), and presented the lowest variation in a* value (about 50% vs. 70% for all other cultivars). At 20°C, ‘Safrane’ and ‘Liseta’ showed a lower decrease in L* (5.6 and 6.2%, respectively) and ΔE values, (6.0 and 6.1%, respectively), but ‘Spunta’ and ‘Ariana’ were the cultivars with the highest decrease in these parameters. ‘Safrane’ also received the highest appearance score during the first days of storage at both storage temperatures, and had a high ascorbic acid content (31.2 mg/100 g fw) and antioxidant activity (26.6 mg TE/100 g fw). ‘Liseta’ and ‘Ariana’ showed intermediate potential in terms of storability and appearance, while ‘Spunta’ was the least suitable to be used as fresh-cut. Results of this work contributed to increased knowledge on the suitability of potato cultivars to be processed as fresh cut produce, to allow the fresh-cut industry to be supplied with raw material suitable for processing throughout the year, according to seasonal availability.

The effect of storage conditions on shelf life of purslane leaves ( Portulaca oleracea L.) was investigated. In a first trial, fresh leaves were harvested and stored under different temperatures (0, 5, and 10 °C) for 17 days. Storage temperature significantly affected color, visual quality, respiration rate, ethylene production, weight loss, vitamin C content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and total and soluble oxalic acid contents. Leaves stored at 10 °C did not withstand the entire storage period, being judged not marketable after 8 days, while leaves stored at 0 and 5 °C were still marketable after 13 and 10 days, respectively. Samples stored at 10 °C showed a lower hue angle value and a higher chlorophyll loss compared to other samples, while no symptom of chilling injury was observed in leaves stored at 0 and 5 °C. Respiration rate significantly increased with increasing storage temperature; ethylene production was also affected by storage temperature, although values were very low ( 2 H 4 /kg/h at 10 °C). Vitamin C was more sensitive to postharvest deterioration during storage and a marked reduction was observed in samples stored at 10 °C. In addition, purslane was found to be high in antioxidants (192 mg TEAC/100 g fw, at harvest) and total phenols (471 mg GAE/100 g fw) and the decline observed during storage was influenced by temperature. A second trial was performed in order to evaluate the effect of exogenous ethylene on leaves during storage at two temperatures. Fresh leaves were harvested and exposed to air (as control), and to 0.1, 1, and 10 μL/L of ethylene for 15 days at 0 and 15 °C. Exposure to C 2 H 4 affected respiration rate, color and overall appearance but only at 15 °C and for high ethylene concentrations (1 and 10 μL/L). Leaves did not withstand the entire storage period and marketable life was about 7 days at 15 °C, except for leaves exposed to 10 μL/L of C 2 H 4 , while for all samples held at 0 °C marketable life exceeded 10 days. Loss of marketability was due to yellowing and discoloration. It is concluded that purslane is not chilling sensitive, can be stored successfully at low temperatures, produces very small amounts of ethylene and is not sensitive to a low concentration of ethylene, especially when exposure occurs at low temperature.

Fresh-cut potatoes present many problems related to a very high potential for browning of cut surfaces. In a previous survey on 9 potato cultivars, 'Marabel', 'Agata' and 'Safrane', resulted the least susceptible to post-cutting browning. In the present work, these varieties were tested with the following pre-treatments, found in the recent literature as successfully in controlling browning: (i) AA+Cys, dip in a 2% of citric acid and 0.5% of cysteine solution for 3 min; (ii) AA+CA, dip in 0.1% ascorbic acid + 0.5% citric acid solution for 1 minute; (iii) AA+CA+CaCl 2 , dip in 0.3% ascorbic acid + 0.3% citric acid + 0.1% calcium chloride solution for 1 min; (iv) AA+CA+KSorb, dip in 0.5% ascorbic acid + 0.5% citric acid + 0.2% potassium sorbate solution for 1 min; (v) AA+CA+NaPP, dip in 4% ascorbic acid + 1% citric acid + 1% sodium pirophosfate acid for 5 mins; (vi) COMB 50°C, dip in 1% ascorbic acid + 2% citric acid solution at 50°C for 5 min followed by a dip in 4% ascorbic acid + 1% citric acid + 1% sodium pirofosfate acid solution for 5 min. These treatments were compared either with a dip in distilled water (CTRL) and with a dip in 1% potassium metabisulfite solution for 1 min (K 2 S 2 O 5 ). Potato cubes were then stored at 5°C and evaluated for overall appearance, colour, and firmness during storage. Treatments COMB 50°C and K 2 S 2 O 5 allowed to maintain an overall score still above the limit of marketability after 16 days of storage for 'Marabel' cubes, while for 'Safrane' COMB 50°C was more effective than K 2 S 2 O 5 . For 'Agata', AA+CA+NaPP and K 2 S 2 O 5 treatments had the most effective anti-browning action in terms of highest appearance score, while AA+CA+NAPP induced lower firmness loss, compared to K 2 S 2 O 5 .

Broccoli raab florets were treated with 1 μL L −1 of 1-MCP for 24 h at 20 °C and then stored, together with the untreated control, at 5 °C for 14 days in a humidified air flow and air + 100 μL L −1 of ethylene. Treatment with 1-MCP markedly extended the shelf life, reducing postharvest deterioration, retarding chlorophyll degradation, and delaying visual quality loss and flowering, as was also the case with samples stored in the presence of exogenous ethylene. Untreated broccoli raab florets stored either in air or in air + ethylene showed a significant increase in ammonia during storage, suggesting stressful storage conditions. These results indicate that a 1-MCP treatment could be a good candidate for extending shelf life, maintaining visual quality and reducing loss of quality in broccoli raab florets.

Fresh-cut vegetables, cereals and rehydrated legumes were mixed into a complex ready to cook soup. Before mixing, potatoes were dipped in a 2% citric acid + 1% ascorbic acid solution for 6 min at 20°C. Three experiments were carried out. In the first, the mix was stored at 5°C in air, 5% O 2 in N 2 , 15% CO 2 in air and 5% O 2 + 15% CO 2 in N 2 . Initially and after 2, 5 and 10 days of storage, color and external appearance were measured; for samples stored in air and 5% O 2 respiration rates were monitored. Atmospheres with 15% CO 2 in air or in combination with low oxygen, showed the best results in mantaining quality attributes for most of the species in the mix. High CO 2 also had positive effects on maintaining initial color parameters and in slowing down the sprouting process on rehydrated seeds. In the second experiment the mix was stored at 5°C in air, 10% CO 2 in air, and 20% CO 2 in air, in order to test the effect of higher CO 2 concentration. At 0, 2, 5 and 9 days the same quality attributes were evaluated; in addition firmness was also determined in potatoes, beans and lentils. All mix components stored in high CO 2 atmosphere were considered above the limit of marketability throughout storage. Although some species showed best external appearance in 10% CO 2 , average scores for the whole soup, calculated for each treatment, was higher for product stored at 20% CO 2 . Finally, in a last experiment, microbiological aspects were evaluated, comparing soup packed in active modified atmosphere (AMA) with 20% CO 2 with a packaged, not-sealed, control during 0, 2, 5 and 7 days of storage at 5°C. AMA treatment allowed to control mesophilic bacteria, yeasts and moulds, whose growth resulted well below the safety threshold for a fresh-cut product.

BACKGROUND: Many leafy brassicas are widely used for ready-to-use salads. Broccoli raab (Brassica rapa L.), also called turnip top, or rapini, is extensively cultivated in southern Italy. The edible portion is made up of the green, immature inflorescences andthestemwithitsmosttenderleaves.Recently,interestinthiscrophasincreasedamongEuropeanconsumers;moreover,a substantial increase in consumption could come from the ready-to-use product. RESULTS:Theeffectsoffourdifferentatmospherecompositions(air,3%O2 innitrogen,3%O2 +10%CO2 inair,and10%CO2 in air)onqualityattributesofready-to-usebroccoli raabwerestudied.Controlledatmosphereaffectedappearance,composition, respiration rate, weight loss, and presence of off-odours. Storage of broccoli raabflorets under low oxygen conditions delayed post-cutting deterioration during storage at 5 ◦ C and preserved appearance and typical odour, up to 17 days. Moreover, respiration rate as well as loss of green colour, chlorophyll and vitamin C were also slowed down in this condition. Finally, in this study no effect of controlled atmosphere storage was found on total phenols content and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION:Resultsshowedthatcoldstoragein3%O2 canbebeneficialinordertomaintainqualityofready-to-use,broccoli raab for up to 17 days. c � 2010 Society of Chemical Industry Supportinginformationmaybefoundintheonlineversionofthisarticle.

BACKGROUND: Artichoke is a rich source of bioactive compounds, mainly phenols, in the Mediterranean diet, but its consumption is limited by the complexity of time-consuming trimming operations. Fresh-cut processing would therefore add convenience to its consumption, even though the severity of post-cutting browning of artichoke pieces is still a major problem. Since susceptibility to browning may vary widely among genotypes, the choice of the cultivar is a very critical step in the fresh-cut process. In this study, five different Italian cultivars (C3, Catanese, Tema, Violetto Foggiano and Violetto Sardo) were screened for their initial quality and composition, and their post-cutting performance during storage at 5 °C and 20 °C. RESULTS: C3 showed the highest phenol content (3.4 g GA kg−1) and antioxidant activity (24.5 mmol L−1 kg−1), but the worst quality in terms of appearance and colour changes, also due to its high PPO activity (62.2 U g−1). Catanese showed the highest vitamin C content (117.7 mg kg−1), the lowest phenol content (1.8 g GA kg−1), and the best post-cutting quality. Tema, Violetto Foggiano and Violetto Sardo showed an intermediate phenol content, the latter showing the lowest appearance score after C3. CONCLUSION: These results confirmed the role of phenols in browning processes of fresh-cut artichokes, giving the first available information on artichoke cultivar suitability to be processed as a fresh-cut product. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Five different potato cultivars (‘Agata’, ‘Agria’, ‘Almera’, Marabel’ and ‘Vivaldi’) were cut and stored at two temperatures (5 and 20 °C) for 9 d in order to investigate their browning potential and their suitability to be processed as fresh-cut product on the basis of their initial quality attributes such as color, water content, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities, total phenolics, ascorbic acid contents, sugar composition and antioxidant activity (AOX). In addition, color changes and general appearance were monitored during storage. ANOVA results showed that the five cultivars were characterized by different initial color and yellow intensity with b * decreasing significantly from ‘Marabel’ (30.6), to ‘Agria’ (28.0), ‘Almera’ (21.6), ‘Vivaldi’ (19.6), and ‘Agata’ (16.5). Initial composition varied widely among cultivars and accounted for the different post-cutting performances. ‘Marabel’ and ‘Agata’ potatoes showed least color changes among the five cultivars, and scored the maximum for appearance when stored at 5 °C, while ‘Marabel’ received the highest score also when stored at 20 °C. ‘Marabel’ showed a relatively low phenol content (32.5 mg GE/100 g fw), low PPO activity (10.02 U/g fw), one of the highest antioxidant activities (18.02 mg TE/100 g fw) and the highest soluble sugar content (2.3 g/100 g fw). ‘Vivaldi’ and ‘Agria’ cultivars showed an intermediate potential in terms of storability and appearance, while ‘Almera’ was the less suitable cultivar to be used as fresh-cut, despite its high content in ascorbic acid (34.8 mg/100 g fw) and high antioxidant activity (23.2 mg TE/100 g fw), also showing one of the highest phenol content (46.1 mg GE/100 g fw) and PPO activity (14.7 U/g fw). A principal component analysis on the chemical and physical attributes showed a high correlation between phenol content, PAL and PPO activity, a * value, and hue angle variation at 5 and 20 °C. Appearance score, and fructose and glucose contents were positively correlated with each other and inversely correlated with hue angle variation. Score, and fructose and glucose contents allowed discrimination between ‘Marabel’ and the other varieties. ‘Marabel’ and ‘Agata’ potatoes were represented by the negative portion of Principal Component 2, while ‘Almera’, ‘Agata’, and ‘Agria’ were located on the positive axis, highly correlated with hue angle variation which was statistically higher for these varieties.

Ethylene (C2H4) acts as plant hormone in horticultural and ornamental crops, and is responsible for a variety of effects that could be beneficial or detrimental. It accelerates senescence, stimulates chlorophyll loss, enhances excessive softening, promotes degreening and browning of vegetal tissues. These reported effects should be avoided during postharvest handling. In this study the photocatalytic degradation of C2H4 using mixed titania/silica (TiO2/SiO2) materials under UV light irradiation was investigated. Mixed phase TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposites with varying TiO2/SiO2 weight ratios were prepared by sol–gel method under mild hydrothermal conditions. Five types of nanocomposite powders, with weight percentage of TiO2:SiO2 of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 0:100 were prepared and are named as TiO2, 90Ti–10Si, 80Ti–20Si, 70Ti–30Si, and SiO2, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation test in the gas phase was conducted in a glass chamber using UV light as the irradiation source. The degradation efficiency of the different catalysts was investigated by measuring the percentage reduction of C2H4 in the reaction chamber at given time interval. It was observed that 80Ti–20Si sample showed the best degradation activity, resulting in complete ethylene removal from the atmosphere. The reduction rate increased when the contact time with the photocatalyst was prolonged. Mature green tomatoes were exposed to an ethylene-enriched atmosphere treated with 80Ti–20Si nanocomposite. The effect of photocatalytic ethylene removal was evident in the slower epicarp colour evolution compared to control samples. The developed material could be suitable for postharvest handling of the fresh produce (e.g. tomatoes) to prolong their shelf life and reduce losses.

Due to the increasing interest for healthy foods, the feasibility of using fresh-cut fruits to vehicle probiotic microorganisms is arising scientific interest. With this aim, the survival of probiotic lactic acid bacteria, belonging toLactobacillus plantarumandLactobacillus fermentumspecies, was monitored on artificially inoculated pineapple pieces throughout storage. The main nutritional, physicochemical, and sensorial parameters of minimally processed pineapples were monitored. Finally, probioticLactobacilluswere further investigated for their antagonistic effect againstListeria monocytogenesandEscherichia coliO157:H7 on pineapple plugs. Our results show that at eight days of storage, the concentration ofL. plantarumandL. fermentumon pineapples pieces ranged between 7.3 and 6.3 log cfu g−1, respectively, without affecting the final quality of the fresh-cut pineapple. The antagonistic assays indicated thatL. plantarumwas able to inhibit the growth of both pathogens, whileL. fermentumwas effective only againstL. monocytogenes. This study suggests that bothL. plantarumandL. fermentumcould be successfully applied during processing of fresh-cut pineapples, contributing at the same time to inducing a protective effect against relevant foodborne pathogens.

Organic standards include a well-defined set of practices and a list of technical tools that are permitted by regulation. Organic products are mainly purchased for their safety and absence of synthetic pesticide residues. Furthermore, a diet based on organic products claims to provide health benefits due to the high nutritional value compounds that are more concentrated in organic products compared to conventional ones. As the scientific basis of the differences between organically- and conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables is under debate, some of the published work, together with some recent unpublished results, will be covered in the present review. In addition, the effect of different approaches to organic horticultural production will be described. Many studies have confirmed lower nitrate content, especially in leafy vegetables, and higher antioxidant compounds in organically-grown fruits in comparison to conventional ones. A recent study reported organic kiwifruit as higher in ascorbic acid and total phenol content than conventional kiwifruit. These differences were maintained throughout cold storage. Similarly, in organic grapes, antioxidant-related compounds were significantly higher than in conventionally-grown grapes. Analogous results were obtained with organic strawberries grown in protected conditions. However, conventional products usually result in higher moisture content, and this should be taken into account to confirm the differences on a dry matter basis. Possible explanations for the effects of organic farming practices on nutritional quality and postharvest performance of fresh produce are the following: (i) organic amendments provide a high input of exogenous organic matter and of nutrients for a long period; in contrast, mineral fertilizers, allowed only in conventional farming systems, are highly concentrated in nutrients that are directly available for root uptake in a shorter time period; (ii) the use of synthetic pesticides (only possible in conventional agriculture) slows down defence mechanisms against pathogens, with the consequence of favoring primary metabolism; (iii) cultural practices may result in different plant composition and nutritional quality, which in turn influence cold storage performance of the products as these differences, both in fertility and pest management, affect the allocation of secondary plant metabolites (such as ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds).